The Month: High-speed big brother

Police are to be given increased access to data from road traffic cameras after Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police gained exemption from parts of the Data Protection Act to allow the bulk transfer of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) data to the police.

The Met claims this is necessary due to the rising terrorist threat. AHome Office document leaked to The Times shows that similar plans arebeing mulled for the whole of the UK. The Home Office said: ‘We willdevelop proposals to ensure that bulk ANPR data sharing with the policeis subject to a robust regulatory framework that ensures publicopenness.’